Harvard Law School, Wasserstein Hall and Caspersen Student Center

Cambridge, MA

Key Elements

The Northwest Corner project at Harvard Law School consisted of 1.5 acres of improvements bound by Massachusetts Avenue, Everett Street, Story Hall and Pound Hall, and Harkness Commons. The new building provides Harvard Law School with a four-level underground parking garage and a five-story above-ground student center. The student center includes classrooms, a clinical center, dining facilities, and a new Harvard COOP store.

Nitsch Engineering provided civil engineering services, and worked closely with the rest of the design team to meet the three main project goals: extend the campus system of open spaces and buildings north to Hammond Street; preserve and enhance the network of pedestrian pathways through the north campus; and create inviting and safe open spaces for use by both the university and residential communities.

Nitsch Engineering worked closely with University Operations Services to design new utility connections, evaluate stormwater management strategies, and support permit filings with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the City of Cambridge.